Machine for grooving piston rings



' 1,523,507 G. C. BECK MACHINE FOR GROOVING PISTON RINGS Filed April 28. 1923 3' Sheets-Sheet 1 i1 5 W5. 4 1 if I [B 1x 3 Q 2 e a 9 6' a I a J S i to 'QearyefBea)? G. C. BECK MACHINE FOR GROOVING PISTON RINGS Jan, 20. 1925.

Filed April 2a. 192:;

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. C BECK MACHINE on enoovx'ue P'ISTON RINGS Filed.April 2a, 1925 s Shee'ts-Sheets Patented Jan. 23, 1925.,

aerate? barren stares caries.

GEORGE C. BECK, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

To all 7.071070 it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of IVashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for -Grooving Piston Rings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel machine for grooving piston rings.

The trade now presents many types of grooved piston rings all of which are more costly than the un-grooved stock type or plain rings.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a means whereby any dealer or garage owner can provide plain or stock rings with any type of groove or grooves and sell them at a profitable cost far below the price of initially grooved rings.

It is a feature of my improved method and machine to feed a rotating ring to the cutting tool in adirection angular to the axis of rotation of said ring.

In one use of my invention, the ring is fed by shifting the ring into a rotative axis parallel with a neutral axis, where it is desired to groove the periphery of the ring. In another use, where it is desired to groove the ring partly on the periphery and partly on a lateral face thereof, I feed the ring to the tool by shifting the ring from a neutral axis into an axisof rotation angular to the neutral axis, and in both instances, I avoid longitudinal adjustment of the shaft mechanism on which the ring is carried.

Other features and objects of the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

' In the drawings Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation of my machine with parts thereof in section.

Fig. 2,'is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3, is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is an end elevation looking from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, is an edge view looking from the right of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6,. is an enlarged face view illustrat-= ing the means of holding a ring in position.

Application filed April 28, 1923.

Serial No. 635.296.

Fig. 7, is a reverse view of the chuck shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8, is a detail sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9, is a sectional view of a part of a piston ring after being peripherally grooved in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 10, is a plan view of the machine, details omitted, showing the ring in a neutral adjustment.

Fig. 11, is a similar view showing how the ring is fed to the tool to cut a groove partly in the periphery and partly on one side face of the ring.

Fig. 12, is a similar view showing the reverse or retractive adjustment.

Fig. 13, is a sectional view of a portion of a piston ring showing the latter provided with a groove partly in the periphery and partly in the side face thereof.

Fig. 14:, is a sectional view on line 141 l of Fig. 10.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings.

In the form shown, 1 is the base of a frame which includes alined bearings 2 and 3, which may be split or not, as desired. Snugly fitting the bearings 2 and 3, but rot-atively adjustable therein, is a sleeve 4; which is also held against longitudinal movementl An actuator in the form of an arm 5, has at one end a collar 6, which is fast to sleeve 4, as by a pin 7. This collar prevents movement of the sleeve to the left of Fig. 1. Said sleeve 1, is provided with a bore which, as shown in Fig. 3, is eccentric with respect to the periphery of the sleeve 7 and with respect to the axis of bearings 2 and 3. Y

A shaft 8, is journall-ed in said sleeve 4:, and said shaft projects beyond the right hand end of said sleeve, viewing Fig. 1, sufiiciently to carry the hub 9, of a crank 10, for rotating said shaft 8. On the opposite end of shaft 8, is rigidly mounted a ring holder which is shown in the form of a disc 11. The hub 12, of said disc, coacting with bearing 2, prevents the shaft 8, from moving to the right, of Fig. 1. The base 1, is suitably slotted at 13, to permit the disc to project therein. I j

Said disc has a plurality of radially disposed slots 14:, suitably undercut, as at 15, and radially adjustable in each of said slots is a centering lug 16. I prefer to employ a countersunk screw 17, to extend through the lug 1 6,, and through thecornesponding slot 14, a nut on the rear end of said screw fits snugly in the under-cut portion 15. Hence, it is merely necessary to turn the head of the screw with a screw driver to loosen or tighten the lug, In; order to pre vent the lug 16, itself, from turning, I provide the same with an inturned retainer 18, which extends into the slot let. These lugs 16, projectt'roni the working face 19, of the disc 11, sufliciently to engagethe periphery 20,-'ofthe piston ring 21. --I preferablycon cave the inner ends 22, of said lugs, so that they will have a greater bearing engagement with. the ring. It will be clear' that"th'e piston ring 21 issdisposed flat against the:

disc'll. r

I will next describe the novel means for centering and clamping thering in position on-tlie disc 11. I

I-employ a clamping chuck which includes a chuck plate 23, having a centering hole 24, therein, adapted-to fitover a thread ed 'centering-lpin25, of disc 11; Said plate 23, is provided withpairs'ot slots 26and 27-,

- opening through the ends of said plate. On,

-wil l be-seen that the projectingends of the strips 289 and 29, clamp against the outer' face. ofthe ring 21. A nut 32, is turned onto stein 25,,and. against plate 23, to clamp the strip ends tightlyagainst the ring.

Before the ring 21, is positioned, the strips are adjusted so that their opposite ends will fornr a1 dimension equali to the'-outer'diam eterof the-ring to be groovedl Byturning the chuck on stem 25, with the endsof th'e strips opposite slots 14, the lugs 16, can be" radiallyyadjustedzinto registry with the strip endss'o that when the ring, which is split, is contracted to dispose its split ends in abuttingrelation, the ring willifit snugly between the icenteringlugs' 16. This centers the ring \vith re'spect-to the rotating di'sclti. Then the screws 18;; are-tightened I nextturn nut 32, against the plate: 23', asbefore stated.

The; r1 1ig.is:now centered and; securely clarhpeddni position with the outer portion. of ts periphery zexposed'tor action by the cutting tool, as clearly seen iii-Figs, 5' and 8. If more than one groove is to be formed, as shown in Fig. 9, then, the ring will be taken oil, and its position reversed, side to side, with respect to disc 11, to expose the remaining peripheral portion; q 1

I will next des ribe theme-ans for holding a cutting tool in workable relation to the centered ring, and the manner in which the'ring is fed 'to'tlie tool. -Thebase1, is provided with a slot A tool holding standard 3 1, has a base 35,- resting on base 1, above slot 33. Screws 36, having relatively large washers 37, extend through slot 33:intobase-35,"the heads 38 engaging said washers 37. The screws 36,

are so reducedin'size with respect to said slot 33, that-the standard can be universally adjusted along the plane'of base 1, to any desired position. Thetop otjstandard 34,

is reduced at 39, forining a fulcruniing-ledge 40. A tool holding plate41-,' has one side resting on ledge LO; the opposite-edge resting on: a tool- ,42. Screws 1,3, serve to clampthe plate 41:, 'tightlyi-ontosaid tool 42, hold ing the'latter; rigidly in PQSitlOllufTh space afforded permits the tool 12, to be disposed at any required angle in the toolpholder';

When grooving the periphery of aring,'the

tool 42, would: be disposed; substantially, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but when grooving 'a ring laterally; the tool would; .be disposed. substantiallyas shownin Figs. 19 to '12.-

Next referring-toF-igsfllrand 3, and; assuming that the grooving operation is about to start, it. wil1-,bev seen that in this-particular fol-in, the lever-arm '5,nis-in a ver-tical; position, and hence the shaft 8, is in 'aneutral adj ustinent. Inthis adjustment, the thick ness ofgthe sleeve is thes'ame-on-bothlateral. dian'ietrlc'al points; viewlng'Flg. 3. Now to advance the 1 ring toward thecutting tool. the'use-r will g1aclually 'shift the lever in thedirection otrarrow-A, ofFig. 3, .ther'eby disposing thethicker portion of thesleevc 4, to the right ofshaft 8, :viewingFig. 3. The ring is advanced until the groove isvcut to the requiredkdepth. In retractingthe ring from the cutting tool ,i:thelever'will be shifted to the right oliFig. 3,"0r'in the di-" will besecn that rthe sh att 8, or rather its axis of bearings 2 and '3,.and neve r in an-' gular relationtherewith: This is'sutficient for theperformance'ot the function desired,

namely, to groove the periphery ofithering',

which -requi'res':a shift ofthe'disc laterally in the plane in which the disc is rotating. other words, there 18 no longltudlnal -movement of the shaft 8, or of the disclil, along the length otshait't 8, becarise only a lateral feed is required.

flowevery ming it d si ed to iii form a groove partly in the periphery and partly in one side face of the ring, as shown in Fig. 1, then, something more than a mere lateral feeding movement is required. The tool 42, is disposed in its holder, previously described, in the required angle, as shown in Figs. 10 to 12. Instead of using sleeve 4, with its bore in parallel eccentricity with the sleeve, I employ a sleeve as indicated at 44, having a bore which is not only eccentrically disposed but in angular relation to the axis of sleeve 44. Not only is this here in eccentric angular relation to the axis sleeve 44, but its angular disposition is of a novel type or form, as will presently appear.

It is desired to state that Figs. 10 to 12, do not show a modification of the form shown in Fig. 1. The two forms are identical in structure and operation except for the difference in the bore of sleeve 44, and the consequent difference of operation resulting therefrom. In other words, I have presented a machine, which is an entity, and I have presented two forms of sleeves, either of which may be employed in the machine, in accordance with the work to be performed.

Now assuming that the parts are in readiness for forming a groove of the type shown at 45, and the machine in plan, is in the position shown in 10, it will be clear that the ring 46, must not only be fed radially of the neutral axis C, but also angularly, or broadly speaking, that portion of the ring 46, in actual contact with tool 42, must be fed longitudinally of shaft 8. Hence, in Fig. 11, I have shown the lever 5, shifted to feed the ring 46, to the full depth of the groove 45, to be formed, and in Fig. 12, I have shown the lever 5 having been shifted in the opposite direction to retract the ring from the tool 42. Now, the neutral axis C, is also, viewing the machine in plan, the axis of the bearings 2 and 3. However, the axis of the bore of sleeve 44, is indicated at D. It will be seen that axis D, does not intersect with axis C, until point E, is reached. If it intersected to the right of disc 11, viewing Figs. 10 to 12, then, the dual movement of the ring toward the tool, namely the radial and angular movement would not result. It will now be clear, that I specifically do more than dispose the axes G and D in angular eccentric-relation, I dispose axis D, in lateral or converging re lation to axis C, throughout the length of shaft 8, and with the said axes more closely adjacent nearestdisc 11, than remote there from. As shown in Fig. 14, the neutral axis C, may not coincide with the axis of bearings 2 and 3, in some constructions, dependent on the extent of angularity of the bore of sleeve 44. However, in any event, as regards this specific disclosure, the

disc 11, will be at right angles to the axis of bearings 2 and 3, when the sleeve 44 is in the neutral adjustment shown in Fig. 10.

I wish to assert as new, as an article of manufacture, a sleeve for a machine of this character, having a bore in parallel eccentricity therewith, and a sleeve having a bore in angular eccentricity therewith, and further. a sleeve having a bore in substantially the eccentric angular relation thereto as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure herein made, except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim l. A machine for grooving a piston ring, comprising a bearing, a sleeve rotatably adjustable in said bearing and having a bore eccentric to the periphery of said sleeve, a

rotatable shaft journalled in said bore, a

ring holder carried by said shaft, means for holding a cutting tool in workable relation to the ring held by said holder, and means for rotatably adjusting said sleeve to advance or retract the ring toward or from said tool while said shaft is being rotated.

2. A machine for grooving a piston ring, comprising a bearing, a sleeve rotatably adj usta-ble in said bearing and having a bore in parallel eccentricity to the periphery of said sleeve, a rotatable shaft journalled in said bore, a ring holder carried by said shaft, means for holding a cutting tool in workable relation to the ring held by said holder, and means for rotatably adjusting said sleeve to cause said shaft to rotate about an axis concentric with the periphery of said sleeve or parallel thereto to advance or retract the ring toward or from said tool.

3. A machine for grooving a piston ring, comprising a bearing, a sleeve rotatably ad justable in said bearing and having a bore, av shaft journalled in said bore, a ring holder carried by said shaft, means for holding a cutting tool in workable relation to the ring held by said holder, the bore in said sleeve being in such angular eccentricity to the axis of said hearing as to intersect said bearing axis at a point endwise of said sleeve and beyond the cutting path of said tool, and means for rotatably adjusting said sleeve to advance the ring laterally and radially toward said tool.

4. A machine for grooving a piston ring, comprising a bearing having a bore, a sleeve journalled in said bearing and having a bore, a shaft journalled in the bore of said sleeve, a ring holding disc carried on one end of said shaft beyond said sleeve, means for holding a cutting tool in angular relation to the plane of rotation of said disc and in workable relation to said ring, the bore in said sleeve being in such angular eccentricity to the axis of said bearing as to intersect said bearing axis at a point endwise oi said sleeve and beyond said disc and said eccentricity" being greater at that end of said sleeve-remotefrom said disc than adjacent thereto.

A machine for grooving a piston ring comprising a rotatable disc having radial slots and a threaded centering pin, centering lugs adjustable in said slots for engaging the periphery of the ring, a graduated chuck centered on said pin and adjustable to different radial lengths for locating said lugs, and a nut on said pin for clamping said chuck against the outer face of the ring and means for holding a cutting tool in workable relation to said ring.

6. A machine for grooving a piston ring, comprising a rotatable disc having means for centering the ring against the face of the disc, means for clamping the ring in place against said CilSQitllCl means for holding a cutting tool in workable relation with said said shaft provided With means for holding a piston ring against its face a tool holder universally ad ustable in one plane on said base for holding a tool in workable relation to said ring, a lever on that end of said sleeve remote from said disc end for ad-' usting said sleeve to feed the ring to Silld tool, and a crank on that end of said shaft remote from said disc for rotating the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn, I hereby aifix my signature.

GEORGE o. BECK. 

